Revisions to two documents that guarantee transparency into Yorba Linda fiscal matters receive unanimous City Council approval

Revisions to two important documents that guarantee transparency into Yorba Linda's fiscal operations were approved recently with unanimous City Council votes.

One involves changes to an ordinance dealing with claims on and payments from city funds, while the other updates a conflict of interest code that allows the public to see the economic interests of officials involved in financial decision-making.

A municipal code chapter regarding presenting, processing and paying invoices, claims and demands has been updated to conform with the city's actual practice regarding the payment of bills and change some archaic language in the code adopted more than 40 years ago.

The changes “in no way compromise the existing controls in place or eliminate the practice of providing a list of all payments made by the city to the City Council and the Finance Committee,” noted a recent report to the council from Finance Director Scott Catlett.

A major revision drops a current requirement that council review payments before they are released (unless a council meeting isn't scheduled), since, in practice, bills have been paid before council approval for many years, “including emergency checks and wire transfers.”

These are payments “that must be received prior to the next (council) meeting to avoid an event of delinquency, default or some other hardship or significant cost to the city,” Catlett noted, adding that in some situations “a delay of two to three weeks...is not possible.”

Other updates include wording noting that personnel signing checks are covered by a “crime insurance policy” and more accurate language related to the review of payments by the city's Finance Committee, which is composed of two council members usually meeting monthly.

And the city's “warrant register” will be renamed the “check register” to reflect that the city no longer issues a warrant (“a promise of payment”) but pays with a check from a bank account. These payments are posted online under the “consent calendar” on most council agendas.

The conflict of interest code, first adopted in 1980 and last revised in 2014, now covers 47 of this city's employee positions, in addition to council members, appointed commissioners and city-hired consultants dealing with financial matters.

One key requirement is to report investments and real property interests in broad categories of exceeding $2,000; $10,000; $100,000; and $1 million. Income and loans are disclosed in categories of $1,000 or less; $1,000 or more; $10,000 or more; and $100,000 or more.

Gifts with a total value of $460 or more from a single source in a calendar year are prohibited, and each gift valued at $50 or more must be reported.

These “statements of economic interests” can be viewed at City Hall or accessed online. School and water district officials also file reports, but they are not posted online and are only available for in-person viewing.